Chile

Chile
has a rich and distinctive flora with 2698 species of vascular plants
found nowhere else by one count. Plant families unique
to Chile include Lactoridaceae (Chilebosque)and Thyrsopteridaceae (flickr)from
the Juan
Fernandez Islands and Gomortegaceae (Flora
Chilena) on the mainland. The plants
of the Juan Fernandez Islands (Field
Museum pdf file) include several more endemic genera such as
the
Cabbage Tree Dendroseris
(ARKive),
the Chonta Palm Juania
(ARKive),
Cuminia (ARKive),
and Robinsonia
(Fundación
Biodiversa) . The Toromiro Tree Sophora
toromiro (ARKive)
is now extinct on Easter Island and survives only in
cultivation. Endemic mainland genera include the Chilean Wine Palm (ARKive),
Francoa(ChileFlora.com),
the
cacti Copiapoa
(Copiapoa)
and Miqueliopuntia
(flickr),
the Glory-of-the-sun
(Pacific
Bulb Society), the Lion's Claw (ARKive),
a bromeliad Ochagavia
(ChileFlora.com),
and the Medallita (ChileFlora.com). Other striking plants confined to Chile include the
Lantern
Tree (Flora
Chilena), the Chilean Blue
Crocus (Kew),
the
Flame Nasturtium (ChileFlora.com),
and
the Ruil(Chilebosque).

Much of Chile is included in the Chilean Winter Rainfall-Valdivian
Forests biodiversity hotspot (CEPF).
In addition to mainland areas this hotspot
includes the
island
ecoregions of the Juan Fernández Islands Temperate
Forests (EoE)
and
the San Félix-San Ambrosio Islands Temperate
Forests (EoE).
The marine
fauna of Easter Island is considered one of the world's most important
marine centers of endemism (Science).
An extensive overview of Chile's biota can be found at (Biodiversidad
de Chile 9 MB pdf file).